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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Pharmacol.
Sec. Pharmacoepidemiology
Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fphar.2025.1551819
ENHANCING MEDICATION APPROPRIATENESS: INSIGHTS FROM THE STOPP (SCREENING TOOL OF OLDER PERSONS PRESCRIPTIONS) CRITERIA VERSION 3 ON ELDERLY PRESCRIBING PRACTICES IN PAKISTAN AUTHORS
Provisionally accepted- 1 Jinnah University for Women, Karachi, Pakistan
- 2 University of Karachi, Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan
- 3 Jinnah Sindh Medical University, Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan
- 4 International Medical University, Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
The prevalence of potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) in elderly populations is a significant concern, often leading to adverse drug events and increased healthcare utilization.Objective: The present study aims to evaluate the prevalence of PIMs among hospitalized elderly patients in Pakistan using the STOPP (Screening Tool of Older Persons Prescriptions) Criteria Version 3.Methodology: A prospective observational study was conducted at a tertiary care hospital in Karachi over one year from March 2023 to March 2024. Patients aged 60 and above, prescribed at least one medication, were included. Data on demographics, comorbidities, and medications were collected and analyzed using the STOPP criteria to identify PIMs. Statistical analysis was performed using IBM SPSS Statistics version 21. To find the variables linked to PIM use, multivariable logistic regression analysis was used. The 95% CI and adjusted odds ratio (aOR) were used to measure the statistical association's strength. P-value of less than 0.05 was deemed statistically significant.Results: Among 450 participants, the median age was 67 years, with a predominance of male patients (55.3%). The prevalence of PIMs use was 56.6% and a total of 388 instances of PIM were identified according to the STOPP Criteria Version 3. Acetylsalicylic acid (18%) and pheniramine (11%) were the most frequently inappropriately prescribed medications. The multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that polypharmacy and presence of one or more co-morbidities primarily influence the PIM use.The findings highlight a critical need for improved prescribing practices in the elderly population in Pakistan. Utilizing screening tools like the STOPP criteria can significantly enhance medication safety and optimize pharmacotherapy in this vulnerable group.
Keywords: Elderly, Pakistan, STOPP Criteria Version 3, Polypharmacy, multimorbidity
Received: 06 Jan 2025; Accepted: 26 Feb 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Sadia, Naveed, Rehman, JAMSHED and Dilshad. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence:
Halima Sadia, Jinnah University for Women, Karachi, Pakistan
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